Henry c



(No Model.) H. C.

GATE LATCH.

No. 484,752. Patented Oct. 18, 1892.

WIT/VESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT Frion.

HENRY C. HOFFMAN, OF, MOUND CITY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DANIEL HOGAN, OF SAME PLACE.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,752, dated October 18, 1892.

Application tiled July 16, 1891. Seria-l No. 399,778. `(No model.)

T0 all whom t .may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mound City, in the county of Pulaski, andthe State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved gate latch for domestic, farm, or other gates of novel construction, as hereinafter set forth.

The object of my vinvention is to provide a cheap, durable, and simple gate-latch that can be operated conveniently from and on either the inside or the outside of the gate; also, to provide means whereby both the engaginglatches in a double-swing gate will rise simultaneously to engage and fall promptly and simultaneously to engage the engagingbolt of the gate when either the inner or outer latches are independently operated. I attain these objects by means' of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gate, showing my latch device secured to the outerpost thereof. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the outer gate-post, showing the latch, partly in section, secured thereto. Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the doublelatch and its frame or casing, partly in section, and showing the outer lip of the frame in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the same. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective detail views of the outer and inner latches of the double latch.

Similar numbers of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

l designates a double-swing gate of any suitable and approved construction, adapted to swing inwardly and outwardly on its hinges 2, secured to the inner gate-post 3 by the threaded nuts 2 or other suitable securing device.

4 designates the engaging or locking pin of the Vgate firmly secured to the outer frame 1 thereof by asuitable securing-nut 4 and having the roller or sleeve 5 journaled on the outer projecting end thereof, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

6 designates the outer gate-post, firmly secured in the ground or to the tie 6.

7 designates the latch-casing, having the inelined guideways 7 and the bearing-surface 7L betweenv them `formed thereon, and along which guideways the roller 5 of the engagingpin4,hereinbefore described,rollstogradually raise or elevate the latter to its engaging position on top of the bearing-surface 7 of the latchcasing when the gate has dropped or twisted from its proper position from wear of its hinges due to use. The latch-casing 7 is let into the recess 6 formed in the outer gate-post 6, and firmly secured therein by the screws 7".

8 and 9 designate the gate-latches, having the eyes or pivotal bearings 8 and 9 formed intermediate between their thumb-latches 10 and 11, and their engaging-toes 12 and 13, adapted to receive their pivotal pins 14 and l5, firmly secured to the casing 7. On the inner end of the latch 8 is formed the integral and inwardly-inclined T-formed finger 16, having the notches 16 formed therein and adapted' to receive and engage the inwardlyprojecting furcated finger 17, formed on the latch 9 andintegral therewith for the purpose of causing the simultaneous rising and falling of said latches to disengage and engage the gate-bolt t when either of the thumblatches are depressed or released. (See Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.) I prefer to construct the toes 12 and 13 in the form shown in the figures to lproduce a greater mass of material at the inner ends of the latches toinsure their prompt dropping by gravity to engage the bolt 4 and its roller 5 and to bring them into engagement with the latch-rest or bearing-surface 7a, upon which they bear; butaspring of any desirable form may be applied to the latch for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 7. By so forming the latches and by so arranging them that their toes will fall below the pivots and rest in normal position upon the latch-rest or bearing-surface 7a any outer thrust on the latches caused by the roller 5 engaging the toes will bring the toes into lirm contact with the latch-rest or bearing-surface 7, so that the strain on the pivots will be greatly relieved, as most of it will be taken up in the latch-rest or bearing-surface. By this construction and arrangement a complete contiming-cage is formed by the inner ends of the latches and the bearing-surface 7 a.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is required to close the gate, the latter IOO is simply swung orV pushed with sufficient force to cause the engaging-bolt 4 and its roller to contact with the outer inclined end of the engaging-toe of the latches 8, 9, or 16 to raise them. The roller and its pin 4 then pass under said latches, and when `in `its central position .permits the latter to .drop downwardly into their engaging positions, as shown. It is evident that the latches may be raised to disengage the bolt from either side of the gate, and in the case of the latch for the double-swing gate both Ithe latches'arecaused to simultaneously disengage, thus permitting the gate to be swung either inwardly or outwardly at pleasure.

I am aware that gate-latches have been rnade so as to interlock with each other in latching the gate. To such'broad invention I lay no claim.

Having thus fully described the operation and construction of my invention,\vhat.I claim as new and useful, and desire to cover by Letters Patent of the United. States therefor, is-

The combination, in a gate-1atcl1, of the gravity-latch 8, comprising a thumb-latch l0, the engaging-toe 12, intermediate eye or pivotal bearing 8, and an inward1yinclined T- formed finger 16, providing notches 16', the

gravity-latch 9, comprising a thumb-latch 11,

ing witnesses.

HENRY C. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

L. M. BRADLEY, E. W. MCCLELLAND. 

